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In Praise of the Stomp: Notable Quotes

The Press Likes the Stomp

“The Ponderosa Stomp is that great jukebox, in that great, roadside diner that you only see in movies, except... this is real and it’s alive on stage. This is the party you’ll want to tell everyone about.”
– The Huffington Post 2009, Sal Nunziato

“The Stomp, alongside other institutions such as the Rock Hall, the Grammy Museum and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, do more than simply entertain when they shed light on the memories of music elders. They serve the only form of authenticity that's truly meaningful: what happened between real people as they created those songs, those stories, those dreams of sweet sound.”
– LA Times, 2010

“The Ponderosa Stomp... is a party, a reception, a tribute to those amazing artists that have been on all of the mix tapes you compiled to impress your friends and their friends. These are the artists that inspired Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, and even the Rolling Stones and The Beatles.”
– The Huffington Post 2009, Sal Nunziato

“The Stomp tells a story no other ordinary concert does. It opens up the inside of music history for examination.”
– Joel Selvin, music writer for The San Francisco Chronicle

“... a party on its way to becoming an institution. The Ponderosa Stomp is an oldies marathon as dreamed up by record collectors: the kind of music fans who prize soul veterans rare B-sides and limited-edition garage-rock singles, the wilder the better.”
– Jon Pareles, NYT 2008

“The Ponderosa Stomp finds the musicians behind the vinyl relics, and on the Stomp’s two stages many of its performers defied gray hair and wrinkles to belt 50-year-old songs with rowdy intent.”
– NYT, 2009

“... a chance for some artists long out of the spotlight to revel in adulation, and for subcultural music devotees to worship together”
– LA Times, 2010

“The Ponderosa Stomp has become the cognoscenti event to see the mystical heroes of blues, soul, rockabilly and jazz.”
– Nick Spitzer, “American Routes” NPR program

“History will be in the making at the Stomp.”
– CNN.com

“’And the idea all the while,” Padnos explained, “was that the Mystic Knights of the Mau Mau are about the unsung heroes of rock ’n’ roll, the side men, the one-hit wonders, the influential groups and people who never got credit.’”
– John Writ, The Advocate 2011

“Without The Ponderosa Stomp Foundation some of the great musical styles might go completely unrecognized, and older musicians in their golden years might be deprived a chance to show why they are so important.”
–Deke Dickerson, musician

“I’m 74 and was there at the start and can tell you that there will never be another music to make its mark like by the performers at the Stomp. It’s the ONLY place that you can see so many of the Real inventors of what’s called R&B and the Blues.”
– Matt Lucas, musician

“The foundation helps to remind attendees from USA and the many visitors from abroad of the rich heritage of American roots music, besides offering a shop window for the great, original performers.”
– John Broven, music journalist

“It is an organization that preserves, enhances and helps fund the legacies of either forgotten, underappreciated or under-served artists whose musical accomplishments have in some way provided integral bricks to the development of the musical history and cannon that I love.”
– David Katznelson, president of Birdman Recording Group

“History needs to be written and musical history needs to be heard.”
– David Katznelson, president of Birdman Recording Group

“For Roots music aficionados, the Stomp was nirvana; you almost had to pinch yourself to make sure it wasn’t a dream.”
– Scott Jordan, Gambit Magazine

"a party on its way to becoming an institution." ... "the Stomp mingled high-octane rockabilly, elegantly dynamic Southern soul, intricate New Orleans R&B and some kindred untamed music."

"The Ponderosa Stomp plunges into the obscure byways of rock's past... regional hits and eclectic combinations... a dream!"
–Jon Pareles, The New York Times

If there was another set during the whole SXSW with more passion, sweat, commitment, resonance and sheer, unalloyed fun, I'd like to know what it was. As simply as a performance, the Pondeorsa Stomp was a rembunctious hony-tonk feast."
–The Austin American Statesman

"..The Ponderosa Stomp, is one of the greatest assemblages of roots music in history. It's a true illustration of music without boundaries."
–John Swenson, Offbeat Magazine

Engaging, sometimes stunning, performances and the local flavor help make the Ponderosa Stomp much more than just an oldies revue-at times it felt like a night on the Chitlin' Circuit. It's a cult happening.
–Meredith Ochs, Harp Magazine

"Welcoming to neither posers or snobs, we can only hope Ponderosa Stomp continues to grow and thrive for as long as legends stay alive to populate it. Eddie Bo summed up the appreciation of the many artists, telling Harp: “When Ike calls me, and I can get there, I’ll be there.”
–E.C. Gladstone, Harp Magazine

"The Ponderosa Stomp is without question the top roots music festival in the U.S. today."
–Bill Dahl, musicologist and author of Motown: The Golden Years

As the pressure cooker of SXSW searches aimlessly for the next big thing, this (the Ponderosa Stomp's) mélange of blues, soul, and rock & roll made the old-timers of the bayou the hippest ticket in town.
–Robert Gabriel, Austin Chronicle

"Ponderosa Stomp has already become the cognoscenti event away from Jazzfest to hear and see the mystical heroes of blues, soul, rockabilly and jazz. You know I'll be there."
–Nick Spitzer, Host of PBS "American Routes " radio show.

"History will be in the making at the Stomp"
–CNN.com

"But the hippest event by far was the 3rd Annual Ponderosa Stomp, an amazing cavalcade of old rockabilly, blues, swamp pop, and R&B stars held over two sold-out nights at Rock & Bowl."
–High Times Magazine

In just two years, the Ponderosa Stomp concert series has emerged as one of
the most anticipated and acclaimed nighttime events during Jazzfest.
–Keith Spera, New Orleans Times Picayune

"Jazz Fest may bring the crowds to town, but the Ponderosa Stomp has rightly earned the rep as the main event for serious music freaks."
–Gambit Magazine

"When you talk about music events, The Ponderosa Stomp is the real deal! This is three days of unbelievable performances by the artists who started it all. I didn't miss a minute of it last year and I'm telling everybody to get their tickets for this one right now."
–Terry Stewart, President, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

"For Roots music aficionados, the Stomp was nirvana; you almost had to pinch yourself to make sure it wasn’t a dream."
–Scott Jordan, Gambit Magazine

"(the Stomp) is a once in a life time opportunity to see over sixty-four legends of Rock-a-billy, Rock-n-roll, and Blues under one roof. ... Not even Dick Clark on his best day ever got this many stars together at one time."

"The Stomp's programming is approximately a zillion times more intriguing than anything happening at the Fair Grounds"
–Bunny Matthews, Offbeat Magazine

...The event itself could hardly have been any better conceived or organized. It began at 6:00 each evening and lasted 'til the wee hours of the morning, with the headliners on stage by 9:30. ...
... I can't quite describe how unreal -- how unnerving -- it feels to be standing directly in front of Scotty Moore, literally a foot away, as he plays the solos to "Heartbreak Hotel" and "That's All Right." ..
–Dale Lawrence "An Extra Week in New Orleans", No Nostalgia

"Dr. Ike--we are truly looking forward to the Stomp and its incredible lineup, I contacted you last year to urge having a 2nd so us unfortunates who missed #1 could reap the benefits of your wonderful vision. You gave assurances then, and have more than lived up to the promise. After the Stomp, the Fest will just be dessert. As a child of the 50s and 60s plugged into WLAC radio, the second two nights alone give opportunity for me to see more of my music heroes than the total number I have seen at over a half-dozen Fests. Keep up the good work and best wishes."
–W. Coleman, Charleston, SC

Whether you were there or not, please thank The Mystic Knights of the Mau-Mau the next time you're listening to some of that seminal roots music we all love so much. This gang gets the Eternal GloNo Seal of So Fucking Cool for bringing a three-day lineup together that may be unsurpassed by any event anywhere at any time for its audacious depth in presenting "the old time 'it's so funky I can smell a rat' blues, 'it's so funky it will decapitate your head' grooves, rockabilly 'so raw it will scorch the earth,' and real swamp blues 'where the gators go chompin' on polk salad.'"
–Jeff Sabatini, Glorious Noise

The new annual Ponderosa Stomp has proven immediately to be an event worth attending, for those more than merely interested in music.

Too many people pay too little attention to what it is that turns them on about music. This series is for those who care a little more.

I salute Dr. Ike and his partners in crime for digging a little deeper, and for presenting to us (in the know), a showcase of some of the more energetic and interesting persons in rhythm and blues.
Thank You... to the artists invited, and to our hosts...